A/N: This is a written one-shot sample piece written for Shiranai Atsune. For the rest of you, please heed the warnings incase this isn't your cup of tea.
Warning: Male!Weiss in the story below. This is not a fetish fiction, it is not a futa-fiction…it is merely a cute romantic fluff piece.
Compromised Composure
A loud crash protruded in the room as Ruby skidded face first into the door. It wasn't the first time she had done such a thing, stumbling inside completely disoriented. Weiss suspected that it would not be the last, even as he carefully peered up from his studies to ensure that Ruby hadn't actually hurt herself.
"Are you quite alright?" The regal voice asked.
"The door got stuck." The pained girl said while rubbing her nose and her chin.
"Yes, well, perhaps if you stopped pretending to be a human battering ram, you wouldn't have that problem…"
It was a system of compromise that brought him to this very prestigious academy. It was that selfsame system that brought him to choose the least offensive of two inherent evils. The bumbling dolt in the tree, or the one flailing around like a moron on the ground. In retrospect, he knew that he'd done the best he could under the circumstances. He even admitted later on that Ruby Rose was not the worst choice he could have ever made when it came to a partner.
His only concern, truly, was that Ruby Rose posed to be a distraction at every turn. She also had a nasty habit of decimating any and all pretense of proper decorum. As someone who valued proper social skills, and a sense of wherewithal, Weiss Schnee took grave offense to that. Still, in spite of his wishes, Ruby was once again crowding his personal space.
"Ruby, please." He sighed at length as he plucked her off of him. "For the last time. This is my bed, and those items against the wall are my suitcases. Inside those suitcases, and in the containers under my bed, are containers of extremely volatile dust…of which, might I remind you, you are sorely allergic."
"But, I need help with this….thing…" She dizzily lifted her notes, a mish-mash of attempted study material. Words crammed onto the page sloppily. "Help...please..."
Weiss took sight of the disaster. Oobleck was the cause of that, surely. Even Weiss had trouble keeping up, he could hardly fault the girl. Weiss pulled out his scroll, sending Ruby a video file. "I record his lectures, I suggest you start doing the same. Listen to it at half speed, and retake the notes you need."
"Thanks Weiss." Ruby chirped as she sprang back up into her own bed. A deathtrap if there ever was one.
Weiss eagerly went back to his own work, hoping that perhaps he might get his assignments done before dinnertime. Those desires proved fruitless when Yang came crashing through the door, Blake hot on her heels.
"I'm gunna kill the bastard!" The blonde snarled.
"Yang, you'll do no such thing." Blake, equally messy, was at least calm...though only barely.
"I'd ask what has her so railed up, but judging by the stench, I've got the basic idea." Weiss replied, closing his book. They both reeked of garbage. "Who was it this time?"
"The same person it always is." Blake sighed, plucking bits of salad out of Yang's hair ever so gently.
"Cardin…that's awful." Ruby voiced from her bed as she jumped down. "What happened?"
"He was picking on Velvet the other day, so Nora and I decided to put a foot up his ass. Turns out he didn't like that very much, cause today he zeroed in on Blake. I wasn't going to take that sitting down." Her eyes were as red as could be, muttered curses falling out of her mouth as she took sight of herself in the mirror. "Damn him…"
"Yang…" Ruby began slowly, hands on her hips as her silver eyes bore into her older sister. "You didn't hurt him, did you?"
"No, but she wanted to." Blake began, before her partner could go on another tirade. "Goodwitch is taking care of it. Yang, stay still." Blake chided as she tried to mitigate some of the mess before thrusting Yang's towel into her arms. "You go take a long hot shower, and forget any of this ever happened."
"You should probably go too, Blake." Weiss said gently, his nose crinkled. "You have mustard in your hair."
"Trust me…I know." Blake replied sharing the sentiment as she began pushing Yang out the door, and in the direction of the bathrooms. "We'll be back later." She called.
Which, Weiss knew meant that it wouldn't be until well after sunset. "Seems like once again, we're on our own for dinner."
"Well, I think it's cute…Blake taking care of Yang like that."
"You think everything's cute."
"Not everything…" Ruby replied slyly. "Have you ever caught them doing things? Talk about awkward, and maybe kind of gross."
"No, I haven't because unlike you, I knock before entering the room." Weiss went back to his book, but that warm gaze was now burning into him. "Honestly though, if the idea of the two of them being intimate bothers you so much, perhaps take it up with Yang. Remind her that they aren't the only two entitled to this room. Ask her to warn you accordingly." Clearing his throat, he lifted his stunning blue eyes and held that gaze. "Yes?"
"Blake is already doing that for you, isn't she?"
"Indeed…a simple 'we're busy' is all it takes."
"Oh, okay."
He thought he might be done with this awkward, and admittedly strange conversation. That he might, in actuality, be able to go back to getting his work done. Ruby, however, was an inquisitive person. Prone to seeking answers for her questions in whatever way she deemed easiest. That she had managed to crawl her way to the foot of his bed signified this. Now, Weiss Schnee was a great many things to a great many people. When it came to Ruby Rose, however, he was only one thing in particular.
Her battle partner…
It was with this in mind, that he scooted backwards until his back met his headboard. "Didn't we just discuss this?" He sighed, as Ruby scooted ever closer.
"Weiss, have you ever kissed a person before?" It was so innocently spoken that it bordered on ludicrous.
Weiss shot up from his bed, half flinging himself across the room. "That's hardly any of your concern!" He groused out, red-faced with embarrassment. "Not to mention, this isn't something that should be spoken about in mixed company." He fought against his blush. "However, even if we were not, I'd hardly find this subject matter suitable..."
"I was just wondering." Ruby said. "You don't need to get all upset about it."
A hissed out, longwinded sigh, punctuated his annoyance. "I'm not upset."
"Freaked out then…"
"Ruby..." Weiss began, mildly disturbed. "You haven't the slightest idea what on Remnant you're insinuating right now, do you?"
"I just asked if you kissed someone before." Ruby shrugged. "It wasn't like I was asking you to actually do it to anyone."
"That is, unfortunately, where this sort of discussion leads." Weiss sat back down on his bed. "Ruby, sit down properly."
"Okay, soooo?"
He realized this was probably the first time she ever shared a living space with a male she wasn't related to. She probably thought him to be harmless…which of course, he was…even so, his sanity had a breaking point. He wished dearly not to reach it. "I'm a blueblood…" Weiss explained slowly. "What I do, or with whom I do such things, are not topics I speak freely to just anyone."
"Oh, well…why not?"
Nipping on his lower lip, he struggled until the perfect idea hit him. "You see, Ruby, it goes against my morals. Believe it or not, I don't view women as conquests. I hold them in high esteem, and speaking about that can be a bit…well, disrespectful." There a perfect non-answer. One where he didn't have to admit how truly inexperienced in romance he actually was.
…or so he thought…
"But you have done it before…" Ruby murmured quietly. "Right?"
"Ruby!"
"Okay, okay…well, let's just say you have." Ruby insisted as she went on with her original problem. "That's more than I can say for me. I mean, unless you count on the cheek or something like that…but it seems like everyone around here has that kind of experience...and...well, I just don't." She curled into herself, an action sparked by her strange timid eagerness. "It feels weird not knowing…like I should, and I just don't."
Weiss coughed delicately in his hand, fixing his white silk shirt as he considered this. It felt sweltering in the room, and he had no idea why. "You're young enough not to need experience. Even if you were older, though, I'd still argue that this was the improper place and time." He replied simply, feeling the awkward air creep closer towards the scandalous as Ruby leaned against him again.
"You mean it?" She asked, shyly hiding her eyes, and simultaneously wreaking havoc on his brain.
"W-we're attending a finishing school." Weiss forced out. "It's not a place for romantic overtures or trite common place flirting."
"I think you're actually in the minority on that one…" Ruby noted offhandedly, though her eyes remained closed. "Have you actually looked around the cafeteria?"
Weiss shook his head, adamantly pressing his point. "This is a place of study only. It comes highly recommended for any would be hunter. No one comes here strictly to encounter a romantic affair. Even Yang rigorously studies, although she doesn't appear to be doing so." With a roll of his eyes, he reminded himself of exactly why he wanted to come here. What goal he set up for himself that he couldn't deviate from, no matter what. "Studious tenacity and hard earned skill must come first…it's a matter of life and death in our line of work. Everyone here knows this."
"Sooo, if I asked you if you liked anyone…"
"I'd tell you the same thing, this is neither the time nor the place."
"Ah…" Ruby murmured. "Gotcha."
Even as the awkwardness ended, and Ruby crawled back up to her own bed, Weiss felt a strange sense of loneliness as he looked at the empty space beside him. He shook his head, feeling silly for even allowing such an obtuse feeling come over him. If life would have gone on just as it always had, it was very possible Weiss wouldn't have even bat an eye. At the very least, he wouldn't thought too deeply about Ruby's sudden interest in romance.
Unfortunately, it wasn't so simple.
Life chose a much more complicated path. It started with a few not so subtle visual cues over mealtime, and ended spectacularly with a mission that went horribly wrong. They were forced to share not only a tent, but a sleeping bag as well. Through all of this, Weiss had been the perfect gentleman insofar as keeping his hands to himself…his temper on the other hand, reached a new all-time high.
Even after the mission, the weeks trickled by, and his frustration mounted.
"Uh, Weiss?"
"Yes Yang?"
"Don't cha think maybe you've broken enough combat dummies for one day?"
Weiss blinked, looking at the carnage. "No." He replied simply, brandishing his weapon once more on an all too defenseless victim. A flurry of slashes sent another dust infused combat dummy to shreds, and so with it, the mechanical bits clattering to the ground in a mess of twisted steel. "Now, I'm finished."
Yang looked on, slightly mystified. "Uh-huh…"
"Well, it wouldn't be cost effective to break all of the dummies…" Weiss replied with a sigh. He sat down on a nearby bench, exhausted, but no less relieved. In a white tank top and a light grey set of training pants, his short and slim body benefited from the minor reprieve. He sipped from a bottle of water, and pulled his long white hair out of the low hanging ponytail he'd put it in. Then, and only then, he slouched, resting his face in his hands. "How do you do it Yang?" He asked morosely.
"How do I do what, exactly?" Yang asked from her place at his side.
"Put up with that…" Weiss gestured.
Ruby was across the room, working on target practice with Blake, firing low caliber rounds at the Faunus woman. There was something decidedly alluring in the dance they shared. It was obvious that Blake was putting on a show, just like she always tended to do. For one, it was a good workout, and a testament to her acrobatics. For another, Yang delighted in the eye-candy that resulted from such a display. Even Weiss had to admit defeat to Blake's prowess when it came to such skillful maneuvers.
The problem was, Ruby was playing the game too. The show she was putting on was decidedly not for Yang's benefit. It was in her every movement, fired shot, and carefully calculated retaliation of Blake's own barrage of firepower. It was in her kick flips and her turns, her rolls and her blocks. Everything she did, she did with a little added flair. One that would never be afforded out in a true battle field. Ruby was trying, and succeeding, to gain the attention of her partner.
Ruby knew it too, which only poured more fuel onto the fire.
"Oh…yeah, Blake's working it hard out there today." Yang shrugged. "Pretty hot, huh?"
"That's not what I meant." Weiss bit out. "Ruby's up to no good."
"What's eating you?"
"That." Weiss growled. "That right over there! How do you not see that?!"
"Oh I see it alright." Yang laughed. "I've seen it for months now."
"What…?"
"Ruby has a thing for you…she's had something of a crush on you since around the second week of school…at least, that's when I broached it with her anyway." Yang looked over to her good friend and teammate, scratching her arm idly. "Did you really not know?"
Weiss felt like he had been slapped in the face. "She's fifteen!"
"So what? You're seventeen." Yang replied in her usual dumbfounded way. She never did understand why Weiss made everything so hard for himself. "It's only really two years, it's not that huge a deal."
"How was I supposed to know that she…that…" Weiss was trying his damnedest not to let his brain melt on itself. "This is not happening." He'd shared close proximity with Ruby for far too long, endured her clinginess and her touches and her questions…and he couldn't fathom that it was because of a crush. "Yang, she's your little sister." He muttered weakly.
"Yeah, so?"
"Are we really having this discussion?"
"Seems so…"
Once again, his face was in his hands. "This isn't in the least bit appropriate…"
"Okay, so you're no Romeo…but ya know, I kind of like that about you."
Weiss could only sigh. "Please tell me you're joking…"
"Nah, being completely honest here." Yang shrugged, having long since come to that conclusion. It was one she struggled with at first, from afar, but one had easily come to accept when Weiss hadn't immediately started acting like a dirt-bag. Time, and a little perspective had given Yang everything she needed to know. "I know you're not going to try to hurt Ruby or anything. The fact that you take some issue with how young she is says something. It tells me you're not going to do anything she's not ready for."
"This is so completely redundant. It would never work, Yang. This isn't some fairytale, and no matter what Ruby thinks, the kind of life I intend to lead would never make her happy…"
"Isn't that her choice to make though?" Yang wondered out loud. "I mean, if you don't want her in your life romantically, that's your prerogative too. Don't get me wrong, but, if you're trying to protect her, please don't." She slung an arm around Weiss, who crinkled his nose and huffed at Yang's overly friendly antics. "Ruby's gotta grow up, make her own mistakes, and I'd rather her do that here in Beacon. I want to be able to help her if she needs me."
"So..." Weiss began slowly, unease clear in his voice. "You aren't going to threaten me within an inch of my life…"
Yang raised an eyebrow before letting loose a laugh, tussling the long white hair top her friend's head. "I'm not stupid Weiss. If you hurt Ruby, you'll end up hurting yourself more than I ever could…that's just how these kinds of things work. You've both got a lot to learn, there's nothing wrong with that."
Weiss wasn't so quick to act on his feelings. He suspected there was some sort of betting pool going on too, and Yang's approval or not, he hesitated. In large part it was because Weiss Schnee prided himself on being a master of his own will and intent. He liked control over every detail of his life, and Ruby was anything but control. She was ciaos to his order, and havoc to his sensibilities. She was a small tornado of giggles and cookies, which clashed drastically with his tiny frowns and quietly sipped tea.
She was, as he came to find out, persistent in the face of adversary...even when that adversary came in the form of grater good and simple logic.
About a week later, karma struck yet again. There was a hole in the bedroom wall, which Ruby was at fault for. Another dust related sneeze sent the window rocketing outward and onto the grounds below. It had also fractured part of the wall, rendering their side of the room useless. Ruby's bed was made into an even greater deathtrap as a result of the fracture.
The team agreement was easy enough. Yang and Blake would simply share Blake's bed, as they had been doing anyway. Ruby and Weiss would use Yang's old top bunk until the wall could be repaired. It was simple, even a wonderful idea in theory…put into practice, however, it had led Weiss to endure one too many sleepless nights.
Ruby cuddled in her sleep, slinging her leg over Weiss entirely, pressing herself close to the warm body that presented itself. Weiss was sure Ruby didn't mean anything by it, she was asleep after all. It still tortured him endlessly. Weiss reminded himself that she was still as innocent as could be. It didn't matter that she was soft, and warm, and fit so snugly against him.
No, it made no difference…
That her shirt rode up, or that her hands somehow found their way under his own garments was simply happy coincidence...at least, that was what he told himself when fate decided it had a sick sense of humor.
Why else, after all, would that thumb of hers lazily draw circles across his toned midsection? Why would she talk in her sleep, and cuddle into him, clinging so perfectly that even the alarm sometimes failed to wake her on the first ring? And furthermore…why in the bloody hell else would she have wormed her way back into his bed after the crack in the wall hand been thoroughly fixed?!
He had no answer for any of it, but one thing was for sure. He had become intimately acquainted with ice cold showers. Much to his greatest dismay, they absolutely didn't work. He was about to go take another one, when her hand wrapped around his wrist.
"Ruby?"
"Don't go…"
"I don't have much of a choice." Weiss said as he pried his arm away. "I need a shower, I'll be back later." He needed space…needed it more dearly than he thought possible, and thankfully, Ruby let him go. He couldn't have been more obvious, because gentleman though he was, there was only so much stimuli any self-respecting man could take before losing his composure…and the way her thigh had been pressing against him…
He had been doomed from the start.
Maybe giving in was the right thing to do, but even if it was, he doubted charging back in the room and ripping Ruby's clothes off was the best idea he'd ever had. Instead, he flung himself under the freezing spray, cursing a string of invectives he would never dare say among polite company. It didn't help his libido in the slightest, but at least it salvaged his modesty…even if only slightly.
It was much later in the morning when he slipped into the dorm, a small energy bar in his pocket, holding a plate of cokes and two jugs of milk. Ruby was still asleep, so he placed them gently on the desk. Then, cautiously, he sat on the bedside, letting his whim take over for once.
Weiss ever so gently rang his fingers through her dark, unruly tresses. It was a short time later when sleepy eyes fluttered open, sighing contently as Ruby snuggled back into his side. He had no idea what this ill-defined circumstance afforded him. If his feelings for Ruby were more than just lustful inclination. Still, he was more than happy to ignore laws of personal space just this once.
He reached over to grab a textbook, eyes idly scanning a page for an upcoming test.
One of these days he'd tell her the truth…that he'd never kissed anyone either…that he wanted her to be his first…but today wasn't it, and tomorrow wasn't written in the stars either…but one day…when she was a little older, and he was a little wiser…he would tell her.
This he promised himself, as he silently waited for the perfect time.